Pride and Prejudice Close Analysis

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

The need to consider first impressions runs throughout this passage of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Both Elizabeth and Mr Darcy judge one another very harshly based on first impressions. Throughout the passage as Elizabeth sees Mr Darcy in a new light; more accurate opinions based upon facts and understanding replace her first opinions based upon first impressions, rumours and prejudices. Elizabeth’s ideas evolve throughout the novel and she 1 herself to explore the possibility and reality for her love for him.

When reading the passage, the first thing that is significant is the heavy denotation on marriage. Although, marriage is one of the core themes conversed about in the novel; in the passage it is over-powered by theme of love and impressions. Especially, the amount of love and compassion that Mrs Reynolds has with Mr Darcy, but also the love that Elizabeth begins to realise that she has for Darcy. She is not only intrigued by his possessions and his mansion; but she is more profoundly fascinated by what Mrs Reynolds has to say about both Mr Darcy and Wickham, as Elizabeth had the complete opposite notion. Both marriage and impressions tie in and compliment each other, as you need to impress someone to be able to capture someone’s attention and yield your affections towards them. Also, your first impressions of someone will always stick with you and no matter how different they are to the judgement that you have made of them, they cannot be obliterated. Just like in the novel, Elizabeth is constantly haunted by Mr Darcy’s haughtiness; and Mr Darcy constantly beleaguered due to Elizabeth’s social class.

In the passage, through the dialogue and the narration, we begin to see repetition between Elizabeth and Ms Reynolds. Ms Reynolds is constantly complimenting and praising Mr Darcy, and Elizabeth is persistently examining every word that she says, as she is fascinated about how she could’ve perceived someone so differently to the adulation that he is receiving from s Reynolds. This image is repeatedly displayed all throughout the novel, especially when Mr Darcy wrote Elizabeth a letter explaining the truth about everything that he has done, and the candid story about his past with Wickham. These images all have one thing in common; they all leave Elizabeth perplexed and doubting herself; Elizabeth is constantly doubting her emotions for Darcy, And eventually we realise that this hatred that she builds around him, is out of love for him. Form the very beginning we experience her saying bad things about him, but deep down she is enchanted and beguiled by him. This can